Numbers 7-8

Common English Bible

The dwelling’s dedication

7 On the day when Moses finished setting up the dwelling, he anointed and made it holy. All its equipment, as well as the altar and all its equipment, he also anointed and made holy. ² The chiefs of Israel, the leaders of their households, made their presentations. They were the tribal chiefs and those who were in charge of the enlistment. ³ They brought their offerings before the Lord: six covered wagons and twelve oxen—a wagon for every two chiefs, and an ox for every chief. They brought them near before the dwelling.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses: ⁵ Take these from them and use them for service in the meeting tent. Give them to the Levites according to their duties.

⁶ So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and he gave them to the Levites. ⁷ Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites for their duty. ⁸ Four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites for their duty under the supervision of Ithamar, Aaron the priest’s son. ⁹ But to the Kohathites he gave nothing because their duty concerned the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulders. ¹⁰ The chiefs made their presentations for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed. The chiefs presented their offerings before the altar.

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses: One chief per day will present their offering for the dedication of the altar.

¹² The one presenting his offering on the first day was Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, from the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ¹⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ¹⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon, Amminadab’s son.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel, Zuar’s son, the chief of Issachar, presented his offering. ¹⁹ He presented as his offering one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ²¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ²² one male goat for a purification offering; ²³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel, Zuar’s son.

²⁴ On the third day Zebulun’s Chief Eliab, Helon’s son: ²⁵ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ²⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ²⁸ one male goat for a purification offering; ²⁹ and for the well-being sacrifice, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab, Helon’s son.

³⁰ On the fourth day Reuben’s Chief Elizur, Shedeur’s son: ³¹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ³³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ³⁴ one male goat for a purification offering; ³⁵ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur, Shedeur’s son.

³⁶ On the fifth day Simeon’s Chief Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son: ³⁷ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ³⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁴¹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son.

⁴² On the sixth day Gad’s Chief Eliasaph, Deuel’s son: ⁴³ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁴⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁴⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph, Deuel’s son.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Ephraim’s Chief Elishama, Ammihud’s son: ⁴⁹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁵¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁵² one male goat for a purification offering; ⁵³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama, Ammihud’s son.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Manasseh’s Chief Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son: ⁵⁵ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels by the sanctuary scale, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁵⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁵⁹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Benjamin’s Chief Abidan, Gideoni’s son: ⁶¹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁶³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁶⁵ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan, Gideoni’s son.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Dan’s Chief Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son: ⁶⁷ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁶⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁷¹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son.

⁷² On the eleventh day Asher’s Chief Pagiel, Ochran’s son: ⁷³ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁷⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁷⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel, Ochran’s son.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Naphtali’s Chief Ahira, Enan’s son: ⁷⁹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁸¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁸² one male goat for a purification offering; ⁸³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira, Enan’s son.

⁸⁴ This is what the Israelite chiefs provided for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold bowls; ⁸⁵ each silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels and each basin seventy shekels—all the silver equipment weighed two thousand four hundred shekels according to the sanctuary shekel; ⁸⁶ the twelve gold bowls full of incense weighing ten shekels each according to the sanctuary shekel—all the gold of the bowls weighed one hundred twenty shekels; ⁸⁷ all the animals for the entirely burned offering were twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; twelve male goats for the purification offering; ⁸⁸ and all the animals for the well-being sacrifice were twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Moses in the dwelling

⁸⁹ When Moses entered the meeting tent to speak with the Lord,^[a] he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover^[b] that was on the chest containing the covenant, from between the two winged creatures. In this way he spoke to Moses.

The lampstand

8 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set them up, the seven lamps will give light in front of the lampstand.

³ Aaron did so. He set up its lamps in front of the lampstand as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This is how the lampstand was made: it was hammered gold; from its base to its flower it was hammered. Moses made the lampstand according to the vision that the Lord had shown Moses.

Dedication of the Levites

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ Separate the Levites from the Israelites and cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you will do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purification on them, have them shave their bodies, wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. ⁸ They will take a bull from the herd, with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil. You will take a second bull from the herd for a purification offering. ⁹ You will bring the Levites before the meeting tent and gather the entire Israelite community. ¹⁰ Then you will bring the Levites into the Lord’s presence, and the Israelites will lay their hands on the Levites. ¹¹ Aaron will present the Levites as an uplifted offering in the Lord’s presence from the Israelites so that they may do the Lord’s service. ¹² Then the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and Aaron will offer one as a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering to the Lord in order to seek reconciliation for the Levites.

¹³ You will have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and you will present them as an uplifted offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ You will separate the Levites from the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine. ¹⁵ The Levites will enter to serve the meeting tent, after you have cleansed them and presented them as an uplifted offering. ¹⁶ They are given over to me from the Israelites in place of all the newborn, the oldest of all the Israelites. I take them for myself. ¹⁷ Every oldest male among the Israelites is mine, whether human or animal. When I killed all the oldest males in the land of Egypt, I dedicated them to myself. ¹⁸ I have taken the Levites in place of all the oldest among the Israelites. ¹⁹ I have selected the Levites from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons to perform the service of the Israelites in the meeting tent and to seek reconciliation for the Israelites so that there will not be a plague when the Israelites approach the sanctuary.

²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community carried out for the Levites everything the Lord had commanded Moses. That is what the Israelites did for the Levites. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Aaron presented them as an uplifted offering in the Lord’s presence, and he sought reconciliation for them in order to cleanse them. ²² After this the Levites went in to perform their service in the meeting tent before Aaron and his sons. They did for the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning them.

²³ The Lord spoke to Moses: ²⁴ This rule applies^[c] to the Levites: Everyone 25 years old and above will enter into service, performing the duties for the meeting tent. ²⁵ At 50 years old each will retire from service. They will perform their duties no longer. ²⁶ Each may assist his fellow Levites in the meeting tent with some responsibilities, but he may not perform service. This is how you should assign responsibilities to the Levites.